Day 5: Something From a High Angle

I took my dog, Luna, for a walk today, and she decided to let me take a few pictures while she was out and about! This is a picture of her from a higher angle.

Day Four of Photography Challenge: Something Green

Day four is to take a picture of something green.  This was sort of difficult, because there are very obvious things that are green. It made me debate whether I wanted to do the obvious or find something not obvious. From you can see I went with something that appears more obvious. The weather is perfect for getting out, and exploring in though. 

Book Review: Robin Parrish's Vigilante

   Nolan Gray is out to become a modern day superhero after becoming disappointed with the non-stop violence around him. He is a war hero who sets up his own death so he can reinvent himself as someone who helps the victims of these crimes.
    This is the first novel I've read that has tried to take the superhero craze from comics, and graphic novels in a different format. I've always enjoyed the movies based from the comics, but I'm not a comic reader so I've never read them. Vigilante offered me the chance to enjoy superheroes through novels.
     The novel is entertaining, and it tries to explain all the characters motives for why they are apart of what they do. It never leaves you wondering why would a character act in the way they did? I mainly wish that the main character, Nolan Gray, was more complex.  He seemed too perfect, but also somewhat like Batman. Actually if you're looking for a comic he was most like it was Batman. He deals with a lot of the troubles that Batman has to, and Nolan Gray's mission is to clean up the crime in his city. Nolan's spiritual background is why he wants to help fight crime in the city, which is the main difference between him and other superhereos. I guess people would say this is the girl in me, but I wish he had a prominent romantic interest, but that was lacking.  It would have made the novel much more memorable to me. If this turns out to be a series I'll continue to be interested enough to see where it goes.
  Vigilante is a different book than what is out there.  If you're a superhero fan, and just into action then you'll enjoy what this novel has to offer.

This complimentary copy was provided by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a review.

Shows I'm looking forward to this fall!

There are a few shows I'm looking forward to this fall so I picked a few that I will be definitely be tuning into for the first episode to see if it's as good as the previews led me to believe. 

New Girl is probably the new show I'm looking forward to the most. I am a huge Zooey Deschanel fan, and the show looks cute and funny.

Sadly all you have to put in your commercial is "Lost" and I'm there. If Once Upon a Time is anywhere near as brilliant as Lost was, then they will have a fan till it's canceled or the few years it is around.

I'm honestly not a huge watcher of NBC, but I'm going to check out Grimm to see if it's compelling as it appears. As long as it doesn't fizzle out like Heroes did with me, then it'll be fine.

Lost comes into play once again with my interest in Persons of Interest. It's like I get to see Ben again, and who cares what show he's on, because that is enough to make me want to watch. 

Day Three of Photography Challenge

The challenge this time around was to take a picture of a cloud, which I had done a bit before. I wanted a new picture to upload though. The clouds disappeared the last several days though when I needed to take one!  I finally was able to get one before the clouds disappeared again this evening. 

Introducing a Character, Jude.

  Last October someone kindly drew a picture of my character, Jude, from Absolution. I ended up not writing the novel last year though, and unexpectedly the want to write it this August came to me.  For the past month I've been letting Jude divulge his, and Emily's story to me.

   He's probably one of my favorite character's I've had to write, which can be a problem, and joy.  I have to make sure I give my other character's equal development, and not play favorite to him. Jude has so many complexities that it can make that difficult. He is a character you can as easily dislike for what he's done, as you can like for the human quality he provides.  To give you a little insight, Jude has cheated on his wife. His wife dies in a car wreck a few days later, and it is killing him that he was not able to receive her forgiveness after she found out.  Jude is now on a journey, provided by a mirror, to find his wife in the after life through a collection of his memories of her to gain her forgiveness. 

   One of the more tougher parts of developing a character is to make sure he reads as lively to readers as he is to me.  In my mind I can see the character so well, but since I'm the one who thought him up that makes sense.  This drawing brings him so much more to life to me, and hopefully people who will read this in the future.  

   Another thing I've been struggling with is how much detail to give about a character.  Writers give a variety of advice, and that can be confusing. Should I discuss the color of his hair, or eyes? Would the reader rather fill that all in themselves? I've found that as a reader, I will already have an image with or without a description.  Names, and surroundings for some reason provide so much more than telling me what the person looks like.  

   I'm trying to make use of the advice and resources given to make sure my character is as in depth as I can write them.  I haven't ever been able to get into questionnaires for some reason though. I am attempting outlines, but for some reason I am just the type of person who wants to get in there and write.  Anyways, I wanted to introduce Jude. My story is putting him through the ringer! 

Day Two of Photography Challenge

Day two of the photography challenge is to take a picture of what you wore today so here it is! I couldn't just choose one so I uploaded two.

Book Review: Gina Holmes' Dry as Rain

 What would you do if you had committed a huge betrayal, and then had the chance to start over without the other person knowing about it? That is basically the concept of Dry as Rain. Eric Yoshida has an affair with another woman while separated from his wife. The same day his wife, Kyra, has a car accident, which leaves her unable to remember their separation.  Eric then has to pretend that nothing has went wrong between them as he waits for Kyra's memory to return. 

     The book had a very interesting concept, and I was looking forward to reading it. After I began reading it though I felt it fell slightly short of it's potential of the impact it could have, but still a good novel. The story was kept at a good pace, and I was interested in how it played out.  

      The characters were difficult to become invested in though, especially Eric.  I think if he had been portrayed in third person it might have been easier to allow him to develop, but it can be difficult to accurately portray a man in third person, if you're not a man.  I'm not saying it can't be done, but it definitely takes being able to step into the mindset of a guy, and a bit of research. The minor characters were highly interesting though, and seemed well portrayed. 

   This book is a good read, but it does depend on what type of books you are into. If you are into romance, then this is definitely the book for that genre.  I enjoyed, but felt it had more potential than it turned out with. 

This book was provided by Tyndale in exchange for a review. 

Camp National Novel Writing Month Progress

     I decided to participate this month though I didn't have near the enthusiasm I do for the official challenge in November. Unexpectedly, it has went well though I will have no 50K of words to show for it. Instead I have the great beginnings of a novel I've had stowed away in my imagination for two years!
     As I began this month, the plan was to edit a novel I wrote for last year's National Novel Writing Month, which I will get back to when I feel the inspiration to.  About midway in the month though the urge to write my long waiting idea hit me again.  I had a few pieces from previous months I had worked on, but after those few scenes the inspiration ran out.  Randomly more scenes were hitting me, and I needed to get them down. I don't want to talk too much about what I'm working on though until I have the full novel down, and I can't guarantee when that will be. If it says anything though, I've never been more excited about a project than I have been this one.
  Another thing I want to add is how much I love the two main characters for this novel.  The characters interact so well with one another! To sum it up though I am very glad I decided to attempt some writing.
  Hopefully I will have a synopsis for this novel soon.  Regardless of how much I have wrote at the end of August it was all worth it because of my renewed energy while writing.

A Rough Road to Guitar Lessons

(Image from sxc.hu)

  I have been wanting to take guitar lessons for a while after discovering in high school that teaching myself to play guitar wasn't working out too great.  I had no idea where to begin so I just abandon the idea for a while. Whenever I would listen to music that featured the acoustic guitar, my want to learn the guitar would return as strong as ever though.
  If I continue on without making the effort to learn I know I'm going to greatly regret it. So about a week ago I signed up for lessons, and in less than a month I'll hopefully be making progress on learning the guitar, but not without setbacks.
  My guitar is  nearing probably 8 years old. This means the strings are also very old, and need replacing before I can learn. The obstacle with this is that I don't know anyone personally who can string a guitar. My dad made an attempt at it, but the 1st string ended up breaking. The fact that I never have learned to string a guitar has become very frustrating.
   How might this obstacle be overcome? I'm hoping that the instructor will be available sometime before the course begins so I can actually learn, and ask question as the strings are put on the guitar. If that doesn't work out then I'll have to find a guitar store to string my guitar, which hopefully won't be too expensive. The main thing is that I do this by September 15th. I felt a little bit of a setback at first, but you have to do what you have to do to make progress sometimes.

My Camera: Canon EOS 60D

  I'm really enjoying the camera I decided to purchase for my first one a couple of months ago.  It is a Canon EOS 60D. I skipped the consumer cameras, and decided to start on the prosumer end. I'm looking forward to eventually being able to purchase more lenses for it.
    The reason I decided on this camera though is because I've always leaned toward Canon's since my favorite photographer uses one. There were also only two kinds available for under $2,000, which were the 7D, and 60D.
    At first at I didn't realize how much of a bonus the video would be on the camera, but it is amazing quality.  I have a camera for great pictures, and videos, and didn't even expect to be able to use it for such diverse reasons.
    I keep learning something new about my camera every day, and I hope to eventually find my own style as I continue to take pictures.

30 Day photography challenge!

I found this really great challenge online to take a certain type of picture for the next 30 days.  I'm also doing a 365 project, but this challenge is shorter, and I think easier to keep up with in a blog. If you want to check out the link for the challenge then it is here.

Day one is a self portrait, which I did today.  I've been doing a little editing in GIMP, but nothing drastic. I'm mostly just trying to find my signature style.

Bon Iver's new video for 'Holocene'

  Bon Iver seems to be releasing more videos for his singles from his recent album than he did with the prior one titled, For Emma, Forever Ago. The video for 'Holocene' features a boy exploring Iceland's landmarks.  I'm not quite sure what the story of the video is, but the scenery is quite beautiful.
   This is one of my favorite songs from his sophomore, Bon Iver, though. I hope his singles continue to explore the expression that videos offer them.

Book Review: Jenny B. Jones' In Between

   Must all teenagers in Christian fiction be girls who attract bad, but are deep down good? From the ones I've read they are.  The novel, In Between, doesn't have Katie Parker straying far from this stereotype.
   Katie Parker is in the foster care system, and is moving to a town called In Between to be with her foster parents, Millie, and James.  As she transitions she discovers who she can and can't trust, and the different dynamics of a family.  Most importantly she witnesses faith like she hasn't before.
    This book did try to positively set itself apart from other teen Christian fiction.   Probably what stood out most was that Katie was not obsessed with romance.  Many, if not all, teen novels I read involve the characters enduring the obstacles of high school dating, which is something I never experienced. It wasn't a huge deal to me at the time, and I figured I would have time to date in the future.  The love story that was captivating in the novel was between Maxine, and Sam though.  They were actually the funniest part too.
     As I said earlier though the lead character, Katie, follows a very generic trend in teen Christian fiction. She is appears to have a cold exterior, but inside she is all about doing the right thing.  Her sarcasm is a protection from the hurt she has felt by being abandon by her mom, but she does nothing to really act out in rebellion.  This seems highly unrealistic to me.  If a girl is attracting pierced skater guys then guess what? She is exuding that personality as well.  For some reason youth group is the amazing place to find God in these novels also.   I personally never took part in a youth group, but I know people who have been in them, and it seems to have painted more of a negative experience, than the one portrayed in the teen novels I've read.
   Overall this was a step above other teen Christian I've read.   It still falls into some obvious stereotypes though.  The books is surprisingly funny, and cute at moments, which makes it a nice escape from reality if you need one.  Sadly, this will be my last review from NavPress since they just shut down their Blogging Review Program.

This complimentary copy was provided by NavPress in exchange for a review.

The Graduate After Graduation

   If you've graduated from anything you'll probably understand what I'm about to talk about. The questions "what are your plans now?" or "how's the job hunt going?" usually follow until you're giving someone the same answer every time.   I get these questions a lot, and have no problem with them.  After watching The Graduate, it now seems just a natural part of life. These questions can cause you to feel overwhelmed with the possibilities, but yet underwhelmed with where to begin.  I believe that every time I respond to these questions I end up with a different response, and very much like Ben, my attitude toward them is very nonchalant.
   In The Graduate, Ben, has just graduated from college. He arrives home to find a party thrown by his parents, and he also hears his parents telling everyone his plans for grad school. The one problem is that Ben isn't sure where he wants to go, and feels no motivation to go anywhere. Later than night Mrs. Robinson, his parents' friend, suggests that Ben drive her home.  From that point on an affair begins, which begins to help Ben discover the companionship he believes he is lacking.  Matters are further complicated when he falls for Mrs. Robinson's daughter.
   I can't say my confusion about where to go, and how to begin getting there wasn't as easily solvable as Ben's were.  He needed love, and was willing to sacrifice whatever other ambitions people wanted from him for it. I want to go to grad school, I want my own business, I want to write a book, and I do want to find love.  I can't single any of that out, and it all seems very complicated to fit together sometimes to the point where it leaves me feeling motionless.   I think the most important thing is to realize what Ben did.  We can't achieve others' ambitions for us, but we must strive to go for the things we know we'll make us feel complete.  Ben does do this, and even though what he needs may not be the same for all, it is inspiring to see the persistence needed to succeed.  
   I'm really glad I found this movie at the time I did though.  I had been meaning to watch it for a couple of years now, but if I had watched it prior to graduating,I don't believe the relation to me would have been as strong.  The movie is much more about graduating from college, or wherever else.  It is about to graduating from adolescence to adulthood, and that is something we should all do one day.  This movie was released in the late 60s, but it is a timeless classic that is as surprisingly relatable today as it was then.  

Book Review: Sigmund's Brouwer's The Canary List

  I want to say Advanced Reader Copies that have still have obvious grammar, and spelling issues probably are not the best copies to send out for an honest review.  It is very difficult to give a review on something that has many negatives just because the writing hasn't been polished.  At least make sure you are mailing something that is hopefully way closer to the final product. As for the review though, I believe this book had good potential, but the story was not carried out well.
   Crockett Grey (I had to think about how much I didn't like that name several times) has a student, Jamie, show up at his during the middle of the night.  She is running from someone, and hope Mr. Grey can provide safety from the "Evil" that is after her.   The plot reads well as a synopsis, and the first few pages will catch your attention.  About halfway through the book it seems the story becomes very jumbled.
   As I said there were some very obvious spelling and grammar issues, and I assume those will be edited before the final version.  The story felt very weak though, and even though it was intended to be moving and insightful, I felt it was very unrealistic. I actually don't think I've read anything before, and thought it seemed unrealistic. I read many books that are very out there, and with fiction you think you can do anything because it is supposed to be fiction. It turns out that isn't the case, there is a limit in what you can do in some fiction.
   I think the book has a lot of potential, but the writing seems very empty. I felt the author was writing at times to fill in space.   I believe this book will either be liked or disliked.  The setup has promise, but it gets too complex for the author to fully carry it out.  The main characters name, Crockett, also just wasn't very good to me.  At first I thought people were referring to him by last name. I think if he had made his last name, Grey, his first name that would have sounded even better.

This book was provided by Waterbook Press in exchange for a review. 

Book Review: Carolyn Weber's Surprised By Oxford

   There are few stories that depict such honest accounts of a conversion, especially right down the harsh words exchanged with others.  In Surprised By Oxford, Carolyn Weber tells her story about finding faith in Jesus, and having to let go of her assumptions built from past experiences.  At the heart of this memoir you find a love story between her faith, and finding her husband.
    If you are Christian, then you most likely have a story to share about how you found faith.  Books like these cause me to think about how interesting it would be if everyone could share their stories with the world by publishing them.  This story is very detailed, and you seem to get the full journey, and obstacles Weber encountered on her way to becoming a Christian.  Her struggles to reconcile the faith with her feminist views is what stood out most to me especially since it presented new thoughts.
    The book is very long, and some chapters probably could have been edited out to give the book a solid plot.  I received a warning from Thomas Nelson that the book had cursing included, but I found it to make the book more realistic than offensive.  The way that Weber shares her faith is inspirational that we can balance or relationships with unbelievers while also being sharers of our faith in a way that isn't offensive. I only wished her love story had been better included in the story, and how exactly her past affected her non-belief in the first place.
   If you are a fan of memoirs, and you're looking for an inspiring story that showcases how Jesus can triumph over the obstacles in your life, then this book is for you. It is especially an empowering tale for women.

This complimentary copy was provided by Booksneeze in exchange for a review.